Urinary catheter



` Dec. 2, 1958 v. v'. PAGANO URINARY CATHETER Filed'Feb. '7, 195sINI/ENTOR. A

, Vito V. Pagano Zmed/umfw fvlan/'1151751551454 rif H'roRNEYs UnitedgStates Patent O The present invention relates to a novel and improvedcatheter, especially a urinary catheter.

Objects and .advantages of the lnvention will be set forth in parthereinafter and in part will ybe obvious herev` from, or may be" learnedAby practice with the invention, thefsamebeingrealized `and'attairied bymeans'of the instrumentalities and-combinations pointed outfin theappended claims. f

.The invention conslsts in'the'novelfparts, constructions,

arrangements, ,combinations "v and improvements, hereiny Theaccompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a parthereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together withthe description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section showing a preferred andillustrative embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a portion of theembodiment shown in Figure 1 but with the valve member in closedposition; and

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

The present invention has for its object the provision of a novel andimproved catheter which is provided with a simple, easily manipulatedand reliable valve adapted to control the flow of urine or other fluidthrough and from the catheter. A further object is the provision of aurinary catheter which may be allowed to remain in the urethra forextended periods and which is valved to lbe conveniently opened orclosed as desired, thereby avoiding repetition of the painful process ofinserting and removal of the catheter through the urethra.

In general, the catheter of the present invention comprises a long,slender, smooth cylindrical tube, of an appropriate size such as from 3to 5 mm. in outside diameter, formed of vulcanized gum rubber,vulcanized latex rubber, plasticized vinylite, polyethylene or othersoft, non-deteriorating, non-irritating plastic material. At one endthereof, the tube is formed with a rounded tip and a lateral eye oraperture through which liquid may enter from the bladder. At the outerend, the catheter is provided with a Valve structure which can berapidly and easily manipulated by the fingers of one hand to either theopen or closed position, providing an effective closure for thedischarge end, and also allowing, when open, a direct discharge of urineor other uid so that all possible inconvenience is avoided and acontrollable, directional stream is attained which may be completelycollected in, or directed into any suitable receptacle.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and thefollowing detailed description as well are exemplary and explanatory ofthe invention but are not restrictive thereof.

Referring now in detail to the present preferred and illustrativeembodiment which is shown in detail in the ""plastic, resilientmaterial.v

The valvei means,l cooperatingfwith the outer portion of the catheter'valso comprises :a ball 24, ofv glass,1stain A les s steel, nylon or;other relativelyv rigid, durableor non-Ll Nice accompanying drawings,there is provided an elongated,

slender, cylindrically smooth, tubular member 10 of appropriate outsiderdiameter, such as about 3 to 5 milli, meters, having Ythin Walls andformed of vulcanized gum or latex rubber, plasticized vinylite,polyethylene or other non-irritating, insoluble and non-deleteriousplastic material.

At the insertion end, `the catheter is formed with al smooth rounded andclosed tip 12 which is provided with a lateral aperture 14 through whichurine or other body uid may enter the tube.

Adjacent its outer end, preferably one to three inches from the-outerend, tube 10 is provided with a pair of adjacent annular portions 16 ofreduced inner and outer diameter and outwardly thereof, and betweenwhich is provided a closed lateral communicating septum 18V having arestricted inlet 19. The longitudinal portion of the L tube ltlhowe'verprovides,.beyond'.the portion l16, a direct f flow passage 20, the tube10, septum 18 and passage 20 all being formed of the soft, viexiblerubber or other corrosive material, and which is of a diameter slightlylarger than the inside diameter of tube 10 and also somewhat larger thanthe inside diameter of the annular portions 16 so that it will normallyremain between portions 16. Ball 24 may also be accommodated within theclosed lateral septum 18 beyond the resilient annulus 19. As shown inFigure l, the ball 24 is shown within septum 18, and in dotted lineposition (closed) between the y annular portions 16.

In many instances, it is desired to be able to retain the catheterwithin the urethra for relatively long periods, and the preferredembodiment of the invention provides for means for retaining thecatheter in a iixed position even against the maximum voluntary pressureexerted by the patient.

As shown in Figure l, the internal portion of the catheter is providedwith a thin-walled inflatable balloon 30 fixed to the central body 10 ofthe catheter and adjacent the internal end of the catheter so that theballoon may be inserted into and inflated within the bladder toimmobilize the catheter. The balloon 30 is formed as a hollow toroid theinner Wall of which is firmly adhered to the tube 10. adjacent to theinternal end thereof and is connected to a iine tube 32 which issmoothly bonded to the tube 10 so that there are two non-communicatingpassages 34 and 36 throughout a major portion of the length of the tube10, passage 34 serving to drainthe bladder and passage 36 serving toinflate or deflate the balloon 30.

Near the outer end, passage 36 is formed as a member 38 separate fromtube 10, and with its terminal portion is provided with an elongatedplug 40 of soft rubbery material which is normally nonporous to gaspressures of a few pounds per square inch. Most preferably the plug 40is formed of very soft or unvulcanized rubber, of a sufficient outsidediameter to be held within the tube 36 and yet easily punctured by ahypodermic needle allowing thecathetermto remain within the,patientover` extendedperiods. l

, When` it.;isi.desire drto drain the bladden. the tube-1()- isgraspedbetween thelngers just-abovethetballyzl,`

and light pressure on the Awalls of the ftubel-will force thevball` intothe septurn.Y 18,v thereby,-providingga',free-V owing unobstructedpassageway 20 for the ow of urine from the bladder toa suitablereceptacle.

`It isv preferred'toprovidefor. the lateralgstorage of -the halb-24.in-septurn.-18, rather thanhaving the=;through passage for the urine tobe the lateral passage. By. utilizing a direct passageyafmore:uniformand lesslturoulent ow, which .is lmoresanitary, is obtained.

The invention in- .its broader aspeetsis'enotflimitedrto the Vspecilc:mechanisms ,shown and-described lbutK departuresmay bemade-therefromwithin the scopeuofthe accompanying, claims without ,departingYfrom..the iprinciples, of the, invention and withoutsacricingits chiefadvantages.

1. A relatively long, slender, hollow, tubular catheter having anapertured. end,. the. other.y end of the tubular catheter being`fox-medi` -with kan* adjacent: annular: portion o f reduced.mternaldiameterand leading-to a-lateral communcating septum andtheother' being a'discharge passage., a ball valve member largenthan zthe.internahdiamz, eter of said vannular portion and within the tubularportion of the catheter, said ballnbeing adapted to be manipulatedthrough the walls of the catheter from a closed position to the lateralseptum and into an open position to a position within the septum.

2. A catheter as claimedv insclaim 1 in which the discharge passage is adirect extension of the catheter tube and the septum lieslaterallyto-Yonelside-of the passage.

3. A catheter as claimed in claim.1. .in;which;the catheter is providedwith an inatable balloon to be located within the. bladder and'.communicates with a f tubehaving an external end.

4. A catheter according to claim 3 in which the external end of saidtube is provided with a puncturable plug through which the balloon maybe inated or deated.

References Cited in the-.le of thisfpatentf UNITED STATESV PATENTS2,769,442 Stubbs Nov.6,19v56v 2,784,716 Broman.- -Mar. 12, 1957 FOREIGNPATENTS 325,740 France 'Jan.r 30,119.03 897,567 France` May 30, 19,44.1,127,112 VFrance Aug. 6, 1956

